Naruto –The Darkest Hour, The Ultimate Forbidden Technique
by Black' Victor Cachat
Summary: Faced with the death of Neji, and bolstered on by Hinata, Naruto realizes it is time for him unleash the Ultimate Forbidden Technique, and an unlikely hero will rise to save them all. Inoichi: 'We're going to serve for war crimes if we relay these orders.' Shikaku: 'I know, but we have no choice.' Wedding at the end. One-Shot


For better or worse, I do not own Naruto.

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Naruto –The Darkest Hour, the Ultimate Forbidden Technique

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Scene:

Battle against the Ten Tails, Obito Uchiha, and Madara Uchiha, right after Neji died saving Hinata and Naruto.

Naruto slowly reached up, putting his hand over Hinata's as she laid it against his cheek. It was a contradiction to him, feeling soft, but also calloused as would be expected from someone who spent her teenage years learning how to fight and kill. With her words, and that of Kurama's, rolling through his head, as they helped them deal with Neji's death, he knew what he had to do.

'Kurama,' he whispered, just loud enough so that Hinata could also hear, 'we've no choice. We must unleash, the Ultimate Forbidden Technique.'

For his part, Kurama was confused for a moment, thinking that they had already unveiled their trump cards. And then he remembered. **_Oh. Oh, no. That old pervert was only joking when he labeled it that! The brat can't possibly be serious! This is no time for jokes!_**

Sensing Kurama's hesitation, and misunderstanding the cause, 'I know it's dangerous, especially since your chakra will be amplifying it, but we need to distract them, and hit them with fighters that we enhance with our chakra cloak!'

 **…** **Well, it will certainly distract them** , Kurama grudgingly acknowledged.

 _Shikaku!_ Naruto loudly thought, _can you hear me!? I've got a plan, but I need your help!_

 _I'm here_ , Shikaku projected back, using the Yamanaka clan's telepathy. _What do you need?_ A moment passed. _…You want what!? N-Naruto, are you—you can't—_

 _You've seen it, Shikaku, you_ know _it will work! The only question, is if you will help me do it properly_.

 **XXX**

Allied Ninja Forces HQ

Shikaku Nara spared a moment to look into the eyes of his long-time friend, Inoichi Yamanaka, who whispered, 'We're going to serve for war crimes if we relay these orders.'

Shikaku, nodded in agreement, 'I know, but we have no choice.' Returning the gesture, Inoichi got to work, consoling himself with the knowledge that sacrifices were necessary in war, and the survivors of the battle would recover. In time.

 **XXX**

Back at the battlefield

Cocking his head so that he would be unseen by Obito Uchiha and Madara Uchiha, standing atop the ginormous Ten Tails, which they would use to enslave the world, Naruto quickly passed a wink towards Hinata. Slowly standing up, he looked up at Obito, who was so strangely determined to break Naruto. The young man projected his chakra into his voice so that the whole battlefield could hear, as he prepared for one of the defining moments in ninja history.

'You don't understand. Neither of you do. We aren't losing this war because it's hopeless! People like Neji aren't dying because we're in hell! It's because our dreams and ideals are missing something!' Obito just cocked his head in confusion at this. 'We're missing youth! Passion!'

At this, every Leaf ninja cursed under their breaths, realizing what Naruto had done. Now they truly were in hell, and the harbinger of this broke out across the night, as one man cried out in an overly dramatic voice:

LEE! WE MUST RESTORE NARUTO-KUN'S PASSION! TO STOKE THE FLAMES OF YOUTH WITHIN HIM AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE!

At this point, all of the non-Leaf ninja were getting rather confused by the behaviour of those who _were_ from Village Hidden in Leaves. It is known that ninjas can be a tad eccentric at times, exhibiting behaviour that civilians might find disquieting; but running screaming for your lives, burying yourself underground, head-butting each other so that both were unconscious, etcetera, was pushing the limit. The Hyuga clansmen in particular were knocking themselves out, and overall it was rather atypical behaviour on a battlefield when you are fighting for all existence. And when you have a giant, monstery thingy standing over you.

YOSH! GUY-SENSEI, WE WILL SHOW EVERYONE HERE WHAT TRUE PASSION MEANS, THROUGH OUR OWN EXAMPLE! NEJI'S SACRIFICE WILL NOT BE IN VAIN! WE WILL CALL FORTH THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH IN EVERYONE!

 **XXX**

Allied Ninja Forces HQ

Knowing that nothing could be done to stop it now, Shikaku turned towards Mabui and Ao, the two next most senior members present. 'Mabui-sama, Ao-sama, I must regretfully report that I am guilty of giving orders what will lead to accusations that I have committed a war crime. I respectfully request that you detain me immediately.'

'What!? What have you done!?'

'I gave orders to deploy our ninja around in a particular pattern, with Naruto using the Nine Tails chakra to augment certain individuals.'

 **XXX**

Back in hell, I mean the battlefield

'YES LEE! WE DO THIS TO SAVE THE WORLD! MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, WE MUST MAKE SURE THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH BURNS BRIGHT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE!'

'GAI-SENSEI!'

'LEE!'

'GAI-SENSEI!'

'LEE!'

With their passionate hug, and tears pouring from their eyes, Might Guy and Rock Lee unleashed their signature genjustu, but now time a thousand times more powerful than ever before, augmented by repositioned genjutsu experts who had obediently and slavishly followed their orders, while Kurama used his chakra to enhance them all.

A massive tidal wave burst out of nowhere to hit the shore of the beach that now made up the terrain as far as the eye could see, as a beautiful sunset set over the horizon, despite it being two in the morning. Uplifting music played in everyone's ears, no matter how deeply they pressed their heads under the wet sand they were now standing on. All of their senses were assaulted as they saw the horrific beauty of the scene before them, unable to break free by any means known to man.

It was even worse for those with enhanced eyes though. With the addition of Kurama's yang chakra, the Ultimate Forbidden Technique had literally become a physical manifestation, and for the Ten Tails, it was forced to perceive two overlapping pieces of reality, driving it insane. The Uchiha were little better off.

In desperation to escape this true hell, Obito tore out his own eyes. Now that may sound disturbing, but please do remember how readily those special eyes go in and out throughout the story, especially near the end. What _was_ disturbing, was: 'I CAN STILL SEE IT! I CAN STILL SEE IT!'

Refusing to back down, confident in his iron will forged in countless battlefields, Madara stared boldly into the ultimate genjutsu, straining with his Rinnegan to see beyond it. To his horror though, he realized his outfit was starting to turn green, and his hair was receding, receding into a distinctive bowl-shape!

Throughout the madness, an unlikely hero charged forward to save the word: Tenten.

Brave, lonesome, easily forgotten, Tenten.

The one remaining person in the world who could endure the Springtime of Youth. And now, the one truly sane member of her team was using her built-up tolerance, from years of exposure to the technique, to save the day.

She wasn't sure if she had loved Neji, they had both decided they were too young to dedicate their lives to someone, childishly believing it to be true love. But it could've been. Yey as tears broke from her eyes, one thing she knew for certain was that Neji had been her friend, her _partner_ , and she would _end_ this nonsense now!

Infused with chakra of the Nine Tails to increase her strength tenfold, and forewarned by one of Naruto's clones before committing this travesty, she leapt the entire way up to the top of the Ten Tails in a single bound. Her kunai flashed forward with her uncanny accuracy, shredding the eyes Obito held in his hands, while four more burst his head open. Madara met a similar fate, and before he could fully reform, an overlooked kunoichi without a clan had landed, and was hacking at his constantly reforming head with an oversized sword.

For their part, Naruto and Killer B, who had both escaped into their mindscapes ahead of time, were busy examining the Ten Tails. Taking instructions from their Demons, they worked to safely release the Tailed Beasts that had been sealed within. This process was helped by the fact that the Ten Tails was feeling rather suicidal by this point.

Black Zetsu could only writhe on the ground, desperately trying to scream as he burned from the inside out. The fire! The _youth!_ He could not stand it! He could no—

Only a whimper escaped, as the great mastermind fell into dust.

 **XXX**

Six Months Later,

Land of Water,

Kirigakure

Tsunade slowly looked around the large room, taking in everyone present for the wedding for the Mizukage, Mei Temuri. It had been Naruto, of course, who had proposed the idea, stating that it could be an event to bring everyone together even more. And so the most elite ninja from the survivors of the devastating Fourth Great Ninja War, had been dispatched as matchmakers to find her the perfect husband.

Along with representatives of their ninja villages, all the Daimyos were in attendance, from all the nations, including the smaller countries too. Their presence helped reinforce how a new age of peace and unity was upon everyone, and gave a chance for further informal negotiations. Watching from the background and over everyone's heads were the seven unsealed Tailed Beasts, as part of their new relationship with the humans. Signifying how things were now more peaceful between the two groups, it also drove home how _no one_ would be spared if they tried to seal one of them up. It was now an iron law that anything that vaguely resembled an attempt to resurrect the Ten Tails would be a unilateral declaration of war against all ninja and samurai.

In that regards, many notable ninja were present, including Mifune's samurai, while their general stood to the side as one of the groomsmen, along with Gaara. Tenten was sitting near the front, surrounded by other kunoichi who were changing how the world looked at women. Shikaku and Inoichi, the co-directors of the Allied Forces Rehabilitation Division. Might Guy and Rock Lee, and their female admirers, who were heavily encouraged to distract the two from their training.

Perhaps the only notable ninja absent was Sakura, who was still desolated over what had happened with Sasuke. But after Ino Yamanaka had pulled out the traitor's plan for the ninja world, and what had truly happened with the Uchiha Clan Massacre, the whole world was fed up with the Uchiha.

For his part, Naruto was grinning away next to Gaara and Killer B, happy to see that his plan was working so well, as he watched ninjas from various villages chat pleasantly away. This transition had been eased by the fact that during the war, holding onto old grudges had _not_ been a survival trait.

A small frown crossed Tsunade's face, and she leaned towards Shizune who was still hovering nearby, 'I can't leave the other bridesmaids,' she whispered, 'but could you double check Konohagakure Sarutobi is still doing okay as the ring bearer?' As her assistant hurried away, Tsunade gave a reassuring nod to Onoki, who was officiating the ceremony. There had been some argument that the main elder for the Mist should do it, until the man in question made it clear he considered himself too infirm.

Finally, the groom, Iruka Umino paced nervously back and forth, seemingly unable to comprehend how his life had led to all this. Ao and Chojuro were standing nearby, ostensibly to reassure him, but actually to make sure he did not run away, albeit for different motivations. The latter because he was so happy for his leader, and the former because he hoped beyond measure that Iruka would keep the terrifying woman happy and calm.

Finally, it took Hinata, Naruto's girlfriend, to say a few kind words to settle the man down. Her relationship with Naruto, as well as her confirmation as the next clan leader, had been cemented after what she had done to the Fourth Hokage after she learned who he was Naruto's father, and what he had inflicted upon Naruto for his entire life. For Minato's part, after Hinata was too exhausted to continue, and he had finally finished reforming, the man had given his approval of their relationship, making some comparisons between her and Kushina.

Hashirama Senju had just kept crying tears of joy as he was greeted by the five Kages, happy to see his dream being realized. He had still been sobbing as he and the other dead Hokages ascended back to the afterlife.

At a warning chime, everyone settled down, some needing a few bursts of Killing Intent from the hidden ANBU to get their attention, and everyone waited for the ceremony to begin.

Walking up the aisle, was Mei Temuri, resplendent in her dress, while Ay, the Raikage, escorted the bride up the aisle.

 _We are truly working towards the future grandfather wanted_ , Tsunade thought, feeling tears trying to break free. _It's been a long journey, and we have a ways to go still, but we are making it!_

 **XXX**

Temporal, plain, thingy

Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of the Six Paths, looked down upon events in surprise. He had never really thought about bringing other people into this mess to try and fix it. And he _never_ could have imagined the solution that Asura's reincarnation had thought up. Empowering others like that, to create something somehow simultaneously beautiful and horrifying? Oh well, good to see his little mistake was being corrected now.

 **XXX**

 **Author Notes**

 **I have read SO many stories going on about how horrific the Springtime of Youth is, so I decided to weaponize it. Not my best work, but I just had to get it out of my head. Doubt I will do the same in my more serious story though.**

 **The wedding was inspired by Mei's own personal dream, and my disbelief over her inability to find a husband. I chose Iruka because he is a) "a good man," and b) unlike others, I could not think of reason why it would be a problem (i.e. Kakashi would probably be depressed over the ending I made, Kage's are out, most of the cast is too young or too old, etcetera). The part about Hinata and Minato was inspired by Hektols, because, again, I could not resist. Also, I know that the Raikage's name is "A," but for the sake of writing I feel that is too easily confused with the letter/word.**

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 **Please Review!**


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